A Liverpool perspective on housing

By Author, Ross Houston on September 18, 2016

Cllr Frank Hont, Liverpool City Council Cabinet Member for Housing writes on how Labour in Liverpool have fought to improve housing and build new homes

When we were elected to power in 2010 Liverpool Labour inherited a litany of Lib Dem housing failure locally and a national ConDem Coalition government intent on bleeding the country dry to protect the AAA credit rating – a rating which has since been sacrificed on the altar of Brexit.

Despite all of this Labour's housing record in Liverpool is one of enviable success.

Delivering popular regeneration schemes in areas like Norris Green and Anfield ; developing a strategic housing partnership with a national housebuilder and one of our local RSLs ; delivering more than 10,000 homes in 5 years ; slashing the number of void properties in the City by more than 50% ; establishing the only citywide Landlord Licensing Scheme in the country and delivering a Homes for £1 programme which has attracted interest from all across Europe.

Faced with incompetent Tory housing policy it would be easy to give up. But we know that more needs to be done to deliver the housing future our residents deserve. Which is why we are currently developing a Local Authority Housing Company that will not only build new homes and refurbish older property but which will also provide a high quality, affordable housing alternative for people living in private rented accommodation across the City.

Just imagine what we could do with a Labour Government in charge!

Cllr Frank Hont, Liverpool City Council Cabinet Member – Housing and Labour Ward Councillor for Childwall